at the Graduate Film Department. While at the academy, Kooshan began writing the screenplay for Surviving Paradise, which was subsequently selected as one of 50 screenplays from more than 2,000 submitted to the Sundance Screenwriters Lab. This film was released in 2000 as his feature film debut, starring the Oscar-nominated Iranian actor, Shohreh Aghdashloo. Production of the film took three years; it was filmed in Los Angeles and edited in San Francisco, with a co-production deal with Italian sound designer and producer, Fillipo Bussi. After screening at various international film festivals, including the Cairo International Film Festival and Delhi Film Festival, Surviving Paradise premiered in Los Angeles and was in theaters for three months. It was the first English-language Iranian film to be distributed in the United States. Filmography Plays Behind Glass Windows (Poshte Panjereye Shisheyi), co-producer, Adeline Street Theater, 1998 (Berkeley, CA) Operation No Penetration! (Dokhool Mamnoo), co-producer, Golden Thread Productions, Next Stage Theater, 1997 (San Francisco, CA) Waves (Moj), co-director. Full-length play showcased in 1994 at the Exit Theater (San Francisco) The Lonely Woman (Zane Tanha), co-director. Full-length play by Dario Fo (San Francisco) Photography Nestle , 2004 To Foot (a.k.a. Be Paa), Photography Exhibition, Arya Gallery, 2002, Tehran, Iran. Publications San Francisco Stories (a.k.a. Ghesehayeh San Francisco), a collection of short stories in Persian, Ghatreh Publishing, 2016 Moonlit Garden (a.k.a. Baghe Mahtabi), a collection of short stories in Persian, Raha Publishing, 1999 Talk of The Town (a.k.a. Goftegoo Dar Shahr), Editor, monthly Persian Arts magazine, Bay Area, 1988–1991 References External links Iranian.com The Official Biography of Kooshan at the Web Site of the Movie: Surviving Paradise The Biography of Kooshan at International Film & Video Center California State University, Chico alumni Holy Names University alumni Independent Spirit Award winners Iranian emigrants to the United States People from Tehran San Francisco State University alumni 1962 births Living people American film directors American television directors Iranian film directors Iranian male short story writers Academy of Art University faculty